


Unconventional Family Structures

by zauberer_sirin



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Marauders' Era, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-11-22
Updated: 2010-11-22
Packaged: 2017-10-14 17:32:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/151734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zauberer_sirin/pseuds/zauberer_sirin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Lily gets pregnant. Sirius hates babies.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Unconventional Family Structures

**unconventional family structures**

  
He is not sure why they went to a Muggle doctor but he knows sometimes Lily takes comfort in going back to her life-before-magic, because that's how she grew up and it still roots her to places James doesn't know, can't even imagine. But the walk back through the town is nice; it's cold but it doesn't matter (James offers some romantic notion of it's never really cold when you are with the one you love because he believes completely in that sort of thing) and they have time to talk their excitement out somehow.

They talk about names. They talk about if they want a boy or a girl James decides it doesn't matter if it's a boy or a girl as long as he/she is a good Quidditch player. He can teach the baby how. James starts talking about what kind of broom he is going to buy. Lily doesn't look so far ahead: she talks about organizing a party to tell everyone the good news. Maybe it's not the time to be throwing parties, with everything that's happening, she ponders but by then James is too in love with the idea, his mind going _PARTY! PARTY!_ and nothing Lily says can possibly convince him otherwise.

The party makes them think about friends and friends makes them think about...

`Sirius!´ They shout out at the same time.

James looks terrified by the prospect.

In all fairness, so does Lily.

`Sirius is going to devastated. He will have to compete for our attention now.´

`Maybe you are not pregnant,´ James offers because yeah, that's better than having to tell Sirius. `How can the doctor be sure? I mean - uh?´

`Do you want the details?´

`Icky. No, just... icky.´ Pregnancy makes James think about how women know they are pregnant (they surely know before going to Muggle doctors, like Lily) and that makes him think about menstruation and ew, icky.

Lily ignores her husband's obvious _issues_. She is genuinely worried.

`But no, really, how are we going to break the news to Sirius?´

`We need candy,´ James decides.

`Yes, loads of sugar to defuse his defences, good thinking.´

`And then we need alcohol for the aftermath, the horrific fallout.´

`Oh, I just realized I can't drink from now on.´

`Pregnant women can't drink?´

Lily snorts.

`You're an idiot.´

`But really, what are you going to do with your weekends now?´

She pushes him away in jest until James almost trips on the uneven pavement and they both think _we are so young_ , they don't feel like they ever got over being teenagers, really, and now a baby, wow, and the street they are walking on is almost deserted, with only the faint noise of cars somewhere near and for a moment it's like they are alone in the world, it's just them and the cold and this new knowledge.

Suddenly James becomes silent, very grave. It's five o'clock but it's dark and the street-lights make the air glow, blue. After all this time with Lily truth is James still finds the Muggle world incomprehensible and alien. He puts his arm around Lily's shoulder.

`Lily... do you think we are crazy?´

Lily lets out a questioning whisper she is too distracted by the warm of his body against her; she puts her hand inside the pocket of his coat and holds on tightly. It's so cold it's almost romantic.

`We are in the middle of a war,´ James says. `And yet this is the happiest I've ever been. Do you think we are being selfish? Are we crazy?

Lily loves when he gets serious like this. Most people think of James Potter and think of words like _goofy_ or _bright_ and _funny_ but Lily fell in love with his quieter moments.

`Yes, James, I think we are crazy,´ she replies. `But that we already knew. Didn't we?

*

  
Lily is resting in bed she is practising her Oh, I'm pregnant, just take care of me and indulge me pose. Well, she's only known she's pregnant for a week but she has to start rehearsing these things, maximize the advantages of everybody treating you like a queen.

Not Sirius Black, of course.

Sirius, sitting on the bed, facing her, is still moaning and protesting the whole thing, specially their decision of not consulting him before getting pregnant. Lily hopes he settles into a healthy denial for the rest of the pregnancy. Only a week and she's had enough of his nagging.

`I hate babies,´ he says for the fourteenth time today. Lily caught him preparing a Howler that screamed _I HATE BABIES! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME? I EXPECTED MORE!_ this morning.

For the most part Lily is ignoring him (also: she informed him that it's not such a good idea, shouting at a pregnant woman. _Bad for your health?_ Sirius asked. _For yours_ she replied with murderous intent.)

`Where are you going to live?´ Lily asks him, because the point has to be raised and her husband is too much of a coward to start that particular conversation.

`Here of course,´ Sirius replies without a second thought.

`With James and me. _And the baby_?´

He looks confused by her scepticism.

`Why would I live anywhere else?´ He says, frowning.

He rolls on the bed until he is lying, looking at the ceiling, head by her hip, grabbing a pillow to his chest.

`Don't you think that would be bizarre? As a family structure.´

`I don't care. I'm not moving out. I've already given up too many things for the Upcoming Brat.´

`Like what?´ Lily asks.

`Like drinking.´

`Sirius, I'm the one who has to stop drinking, I'm the one pregnant. You don't have to stop drinking.´

`I'm sympathizing!´

`Why? James is not sympathizing and he's the father.´

`I'm just very sensitive.´

She sighs. Maybe she should try a more aggressive approach.

`Move out!´

`No! Oh, Evans, why did you have to get pregnant?´

`What can I say? I really like James' penis.´

`Ugh, disgusting.´ Sirius sits up. He throws a pillow to her head.

`Hey, I'm pregnant. You cannot use violence on me.´

`It's a pillow. I can hit you with a pillow if I want to. In fact, nine out of ten doctors - Muggle doctors at that - recommend pillow fighting pregnant women at least once a day.

She grabs the other pillow and replies Sirius in kind. They exchange blows until Sirius, trying to land a very enthusiastic attack, hits himself on one eye and lets out a high-pitched yelp.

Lily collapses, laughing, on the bed.

Sirius falls just by her side, Lily grabbing his elbow and dragging him down, limbs entwining and laughter mixing. She runs her hands through his hair.

`Okay, you can stay here. But you'll have to explain Harry why there's a strange in our house.´

`You are calling it Harry? That's a horrible name. See? I hate that baby already.´

*

They shouldn't have worried so much. In fact, they should have predicted something like this.

Finally it has happened: Somebody has cracked Sirius Black.

`He's still here?´ Lily, coming down the stairs, eyes red, just woken up.

James is sitting on the couch with a cup of tea and staring, fascinated, at Sirius.

`Do you want me to hold him for a bit, mate? You've been at it for ages, your arms must be about to fall off,´ James says, knowing that Sirius is not going to give up the baby any time soon but teasing him for it nonetheless. Oh he should take pictures of this moment. This is blackmail material for the ages.

Sirius, simply, chooses not to answer. He holds the baby and walks about the room, cuddling him, and twirling he is actually _twirling_ , oh Merlin, James gives Lily a shocked look and Lily has to put her hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing cruelly. And James mentally, telepathically, conveys something to Lily of the _where's the camera? this is bloody priceless_ variety and Lily is about to lose it.

`The guy is amazing,´ Sirius tells them. `Have you seen his eyes?

`Have I seen my newborn son's eyes?´ Lily throws back at him.

James chuckles. But Sirius is too far gone. He is in his own world. Now he is making _faces_ at Harry. This is embarrassing. If he knew he could reduce his best friend to _this_ James Potter would have had children much sooner. Sirius rambles on.

`He looks at you as if he were seeing _your soul_. With Those Eyes. Your soul.´

`Oh dear,´ James gasps.

`I believe Sirius has baby fever,´ Lily says. She pokes at Sirius' shoulder. `You can always get yourself one of these, you know.´

Sirius turns his shoulder away from her, holding Harry rather possessively.

`I don't want *one of these*. I want _this one_.´

`I'm not sure we can give you this one, though, mate,´ James tries to reason.

`I'm going to kidnap it. Yes, I'm going to kidnap this baby and take him to - uhm - Brazil! And then I'm going to make him call me _dad_.´

`That's a bit creepy,´ Lily tells him.

`I don't care if it's creepy. I had never seen this little fellow until last night and now I don't know how I was able to spend my whole life without him. Honestly? I've never really known love until now, you guys. Have you seen his toes? Why didn't anybody tell me babies had toes like these?´

James looks at his friend with benevolence, the sort of condescending glare you would give a defenceless puppy.

`So, Sirus... I take it as a _yes_ to being Harry's godfather then?´


End file.
